Outdoor Lighting in Seattle, WA (2026)
2 verified outdoor lighting rules for Seattle, Washington, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Light Trespass & Shielding
Seattle's Land Use Code requires exterior lighting on commercially zoned lots to be shielded and pointed away from neighboring properties. SMC 23.47A.022 also caps light poles at 30 feet (40 feet in taller zones with an energy-efficiency offset), requires parking-garage lighting to be shielded against nighttime glare, and forces glare screening around any driveway or lot serving more than two vehicles.
Seattle Exterior Lighting Must Avoid Adjacent Glare
Some RestrictionsSeattle Municipal Code § 23.47A.022
A.Exterior lighting must be shielded and directed away from adjacent uses.B.Interior lighting in parking garages must be shielded to minimize nighttime glare affecting nearby uses.C.To prevent vehicle lights from affecting adjacent properties, driveways and parking areas for more than two (2) vehicles shall be screened from adjacent properties by a fence or wall between five (5) feet and six (6...
Billboard Lighting
SMC 23.55.014(E)(3) caps how brightly Seattle billboards and other off-premises signs can be lit: incandescent illumination is limited to 1.25 watts per square foot of sign area, fluorescent or other illumination to 1 watt per square foot, and signs that use lights as part of the advertising message itself, chasing displays or message boards, are banned outright.
Seattle Off-Premises Sign Lighting Wattage Caps
Some RestrictionsSeattle Municipal Code § 23.55.014(E)(3)
3.Lighting. No off-premises sign shall be incandescently illuminated by more than one and one-quarter (1¼) watts of electrical power per square foot of sign area, or be fluorescently or otherwise illuminated by more than one (1) watt of electrical power per square foot of sign area. Off-premises signs that include lights as part of the message or content of the sign (chasing and message board a...
Looking for King County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Seattle city rules.
Outdoor Lighting in King County →